LOOKING TO THE NORTH

Last updated : 08 January 2006 By Ed

"Keane is already the best player at Celtic. He is blessed with tremendous ability and vision and has a real passion for the game. What more can you ask for?

"I admire Keane so much. I have heard one or two people say that he is too old at 34, and it is true that in my day that you were more or less finished at that age. But that is no longer the case.

"Players nowadays train differently, eat sensibly and look after themselves properly and are able to keep going for much longer. Keane will play for Celtic for the next four years at least and will be great for the club and Scottish football as a whole.

"He is a man who is so committed to the cause, no matter who he plays for, and he sets incredibly high standards. I thought before they signed Keane that Celtic would win the league. Now I am absolutely certain they will."

"Why are Sky showing a game that would not normally be of general interest? It's obvious, isn't it. Keane is the reason and not just because of the furore that has surrounded his move to Celtic. He remains a huge attraction in England as well."

Strachan:

"The thing about Roy is that he does not treat himself as a star. He treats himself as a top professional footballer. If you look at it, there’s no real celebrity status with him. Some people are celebrities first and footballers second. Roy’s a footballer first and the celebrity status, well, it just doesn’t bother him.

"People asked at the time why we were signing Roy Keane when we already had Petrov and Neil Lennon. But you can never have the perfect team, as Graeme Souness will tell you right now. Poor Graeme maybe has the perfect team [at Newcastle] but he can never get it on the pitch. That's why it's great to have this squad, with guys of equal quality. Lennon got a knock in training last week and it could have been him missing out. Roy has been good with the kids. He is stern with those around him at training but he explains why he is like that; he doesn't just hand out ear-bashings. He likes those playing around him to be at their best, and to get better, so the kids have absolutely loved him being here."